Hi Reader!

After many recent trips in the Bahamas and Virgin Islands, we ventured out last month to Antigua & Barbuda for a change of pace.

Our crew of four couples and one single had an absolute blast, although, we probably won't return any time soon. If I had to do it all over again, I would consider booking during Antigua Sailing Week, one of the most popular of Caribbean regattas.

So is Antigua worth adding to your bucket list of charter destinations?

Yes!

I'm still editing some photos, so I'll have the trip report finished soon. In the meantime, below are my first impressions to help you consider if the trip is a good fit for your crew.

Great balance of seclusion and beach bars

If you're like me, I enjoy a good blend of nights alone on the hook and a lively beach bar.

Antigua/Barbuda has just that.

With 365 beaches, there is plenty of space to find some elbow room, especially in the protected north sound area. We sailed there for our first night and enjoyed a sunset all by ourselves behind Red Head Island.

As far as beach bars and restaurants, your choices are endless. Here are a couple worth checking out:

• Ffryes Beach for some swim ashore day drinking
• Falmouth for upscale beach dining, such as Catherine's Cafe​
• Shack-A-Kai in Barbuda for a rustic, Anegada-like atmosphere and lobster on the beach (too bad it was out of season for us)

Shirley Heights: touristy, but a trip highlight

We were warned that Shirley Heights has become too touristy.

Well, we visited on Mother's Day and had the most fun of any night on the trip. The views are incredible, drinks are cheap, and the dance floor was insanely fun.

Plan your itinerary to check out the bbq party on either Thursday or Sunday.

Limited depth of the charter fleet

If you're a bareboater, you don't have as much choice with just several charter companies and moderately sized fleets. Yacht choices also tended to be older, as you might expect from a secondary destination.

We needed 5 cabins and there was only one catamaran that could accommodate us: a 6-cabin Lagoon 50. This later became an issue when we needed to swap boats. They had to deliver a Bali 5.4 over 100 miles from St. Martin! (more on this drama later)

For crewed charters - there are a good range of options.

Escape from it all in Barbuda

I can't recommend enough making the offshore sail to Antigua's sister island to the north - Barbuda.

Miles of deserted beaches, turquoise water, and the spirited passage itself are reasons to go. If Anegada is one of your favorite BVI destinations, then you'll love Barbuda.

So-so fishing due to sargassum?

We were excited about fishing prospects, but in the end they disappointed. We landed a cero mackerel we had prepared into delicious sashimi, but otherwise we caught just a few 'cudas.

I wrote recently about the Caribbean sargassum problem, and I think that was largely to blame (and not the bananas on our boat!).

It was difficult keeping the lines clear of weed. The best area was on the west side of Antigua where the lee of the island kept the sargassum at bay.

Potentially more challenging sailing conditions

With Antigua just one large island you sail around, inevitably you will encounter some upwind, exposed seas. There are no other nearby islands like in the BVIs to help shelter you in the lee.

We lucked out with 10-15 knots and generally fairly settled conditions. But, if the trades are blowing, you might be in for a rough ride.

Our passage to and from Barbuda was also undertaken in ideal conditions. If a north swell is running, however, many would advise not to make the trip north. So to some extent, your itinerary might be limited by the weather.

That's all for now. Have a great week! ~Matt Weidert

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